fortress

Meaning

Noun

1. A fortified place; a large and permanent fortification, sometimes including a town; for example a fort, a castle; a stronghold; a place of defense or security.
2. A position that, if obtained by the weaker side, will prevent penetration by the opposing side, generally achieving a draw.

Verb

To furnish with a fortress or with fortresses; to guard, to fortify.

Synonyms

stronghold

fort

citadel

fortification

castle

🏰

bastion

fastness

wall

bulwark

fortified place

alcazar

rampart

blockhouse

redoubt

solidity

stockade

stone wall

tower

strong point

castle walls

hill-fort

block-house

walling timber

bulkhead

bunker

castling

enclosure

garrison

hill

hold

keep

kingdom

munition

mural

palisade

Translations

Festung

forteresse

fortaleza

fortezza

vesting

fortaleza

fortalesa

bastille

rocca

castellum

🏰

fuerte

Burg

🏰

kale

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈfoɹ.tɹɪs/

Etymology

Cognate with French: -ess

Cognate with Latin: -itia

In summary

Early 14 c., from Old French forteresce, forteresse, forterece (“strong place, fortification”), variant of fortelesse, from Medieval Latin fortalitia, from Latin fortis (“strong”) (see fort) + -itia, added to adjectives to form nouns of quality or condition. French -ess, from Latin -itia is also in words such as duress, largesse and riches. For change of medial -l- to -r- in Old French, compare orne (“elm”) from ulmus; chartre from cartula and chapitre from capitulum. First attested in the 12th century.